Humans
As you ask more specifically then you often do, for information about humans, and go about what is becoming routine. You glance to the ceiling and returning your gaze is a flexible, leather bound book. A quick synopsis shows it to be hand written by several individuals of varying penmanship and writing skill. That and the twine binding, along with the new smell of the leather cover; the implication seems to be that the library has assembled a series of pages from multiple works to suit your request. Best to show gratitude for this effort. It is a gracious gesture after all... and one fear to see if this library can feel unappreciated. With that you look to the leather bound journal's title, and proceed to turn the pages. Humanity, The First Born The Nature of Man In the reckonings of most worlds, humans are the oldest of the common races, though they as individuals are most often the youngest. First to arrive on the world scene but short-lived in comparison to dwarves, elves, and dragons. Humans are known most widely for their constant activity. Perhaps it is because of their shorter lives that they strive to achieve as much as they can in the years they are given. Or maybe they feel they have something to prove to the younger races, who begrudge them for the actions of their predecessors. Perhaps it is this longing to surpass judgement that demands they build their mighty empires on the foundation of conquest and trade. Whatever drives them, humans are the innovators, the achievers, and the pioneers of the worlds. Human Appearances With their penchant for migration and conquest, humans are more physically diverse than other common races. There is no typical human. An individual can stand from 5 feet to a little over 6 feet tall and weigh from 125 to 250 pounds. Human skin shades range from nearly black to very pale, and hair colors from black to blond (curly, kinky, or straight); males might sport facial hair that is sparse or thick. A lot of humans have a dash of nonhuman blood, revealing hints of elf, orc, or other lineages. Humans reach adulthood in their late teens and rarely live even a single century. A fate they are often reminded of. Human Culture Humans are the most adaptable and ambitious people among the common races. They have widely varying tastes, morals, and customs in the many different lands where they have settled. When they settle, though, they stay: they build cities to last for the ages, and great kingdoms that can persist for long centuries. An individual human might have a relatively short life span, but a human nation or culture preserves traditions with origins far beyond the reach of any single human’s memory. They live fully in the present—making them well suited to the adventuring life—but also plan for the future, striving to leave a lasting legacy. Individually and as a group, humans are adaptable opportunists, and they stay alert to changing political and social dynamics. Human Relations to the Other Races Where a single elf or dwarf might take on the responsibility of guarding a special location or a powerful secret, humans found sacred orders and institutions for such purposes. While dwarf clans and halfling elders pass on the ancient traditions to each new generation, human temples, governments, libraries, and codes of law fix their traditions in the bedrock of history. Humans dream of immortality, but (except for those few who seek undeath or divine ascension to escape death’s clutches) they achieve it by ensuring that they will be remembered when they are gone. Although some humans can be xenophobic, in general their societies are inclusive. Human lands welcome large numbers of nonhumans compared to the proportion of humans who live in nonhuman lands. While often quietly resented, the humans are more often then not, accepted by the other races for their usefulness and productive attitudes. There are no races that plainly do not get along with humans, however if there were one that is far less friendly with them, it would be the Orcs. Human cultures Naming Conventions Having so much more variety than other cultures, humans as a whole have no typical names. Some human parents give their children names from other languages, such as Dwarvish or Elvish (pronounced more or less correctly), but most parents give names that are linked to their region’s culture or to the naming traditions of their ancestors. The material culture and physical characteristics of humans can change wildly from region to region. Mosian A people of generally tawny, somewhat wood colored complexion, tending to be of average height, with a variety of hair and eye colors. They are primarily found around the mountain of Christo in the country of Mosiah.